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Pompey the great. Pompey, you are partly a bawd, Pompey, howfoever you colour it in being a tapfter.

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Are you not? come, tell me true; it fhall be the better for you.

CLO. Truly,fir, I am a poor fellow, that would live. ESCAL. How would you live, Pompey? by being a bawd? What do you think of the trade, Pompey? is it a lawful trade?

CLO. If the law would allow it, fir.

ESCAL. But the law will not allow it, Pompey; nor it fhall not be allowed in Vienna.

CLO. Does your worship mean to geld and spay all the youth in the city?

ESCAL. No, Pompey.

CLO. Truly, fir, in my poor opinion, they will to't then: If your worfhip will take order for the drabs. and the knaves, you need not to fear the bawds. ·

ESCAL. There are pretty orders beginning, I can tell you: it is but heading and hanging.

CLO. If you head and hang all that offend that way but for ten year together, 'you'll be glad to give out a commiffion for more heads. If this law hold in Vienna ten year, I'll rent the fairest houfe in it, after three pence a bay: If you live to fee this come to pafs, fay, Pompey told you fo.

In confequence of a diligent infpection of ancient pictures and prints, it may be pronounced that this ridiculous fashion appeared in the early part of queen Elizabeth's reign, then declined, and recommenced at the beginning of that of James the Firft. STEEVENS.

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take order i. e. take meafures. So, in Othello: Honeft Iago hath ta'en order for't." STEEVENS.

& I'll rent the fairest house in it, after three pence a bay :] A bay of building is, in many parts of England, a common term, of which the beft conception that ever I could obtain, is, that it is the space between the main beams of the roof; fo that a barn croffed twice with beams is a barn of three bays.. JOHNSON.

ESCAL. Thank you, good Pompey: and, in requital of your prophecy, hark you,—I advise you, let me not find you before me again upon any complaint whatsoever, no, not for dwelling where you do; if I do, Pompey, I fhall beat you to your tent, and prove a fhrewd Cæfar to you; in plain dealing, Pompey, I fhall have you whipt: fo for this time, Pompey, fare you well.

CLO.

Cio. I thank your worship for your good counfel; but I fhall follow it, as the flesh and fortune fhall better determine.

Whip me? No, no; let carman whip his jade;
The valiant heart's not whipt out of his trade.

[Exit. ESCAL. Come hither to me, mafter Elbow; come hither, mafter conftable. How long have you been in this place of constable?

ELB. Seven year and a half, fir.

ESCAL. Ithought, by your readiness' in the office, you had continued in it fome time: You fay, feven years together?

ELB. And a half, fir,

ESCAL. Alas! it hath been great pains to you! They do you wrong to put you fo oft upon't: Are there not men in your ward fufficient to ferve it?

that by the yearly birth

The large-bay'd barn doth fill," &c.

I forgot to take down the title of the work from which this instance is adopted. Again, in Hall's Virgidemiarum, Lib. IV :

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His rent in faire respondence must arise,
"To double trebles of his one yeares price;

"Of one bayes breadth, God wot, a filly cote

"Whose thatched fpars are furr'd with fluttish foote."

STEEVENS.

by your readiness ] Old copy m the readiness. Correated by Mr. Pope. In the MSS. of our author's age, ye, and y1. for fo they were frequently written) were easily confounded. MALONE.

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ELB. Faith, fir, few of any wit in fuch matters: as they are chofen, they are glad to choose me for them; I do it for fome piece of money, and go through with all.

ESCAL. Look you, bring me in the names of fome fix or feven, the moft fufficient of your parish. ELB. To your worship's houfe, fir?

ESCAL. To my houfe: Fare you well. [Exit ELBow.] What's o'clock, think you?

JUST. Eleven, fir.

ESCAL. I pray you home to dinner with me.
JUST. I humbly thank you.

ESCAL. It grieves me for the death of Claudio; But there's no remedy.

JUST. Lord Angelo is fevere.

ESCAL.

It is but needful:

Mercy is not itfelf, that oft looks fo;

Pardon is ftill the nurfe of fecond woe:

But yet, Poor Claudio! There's no remedy. Come, fir.

[Excunt.

SCENE I I.

Another Room in the fame.

Enter Provoft, and a Servant.

SERV. He's hearing of a caufe; he will come ftraight.

I'll tell him of you.

PROV. Pray you, do. [Exit Servant.] I'll know
His pleasure; may be, he will relent: Alas,
He hath but as offended in a dream!

All fects, all ages fmack of this vice; and he'
To die for it!———

ANG.

Enter ANGELO.

Now, what's the matter, provoft? PROV. Is it your will Claudio fhall die to-morrow? ANG. Did I not tell thee, yea? hadst thou not order?

Why dost thou ask again?

Left I might be too rash:

PROV.
Under your good correction, I have seen,
When, after execution, judgement hath
Repented o'er his doom.

ANG.

Go to; let that be mine:

office, or give up your place,

Do you your office,

And you fhall well be fpar'd.

PROV.

I crave your honour's pardon.

What shall be done, fir, with the groaning Juliet? She's very near her hour.

ANG.

Difpofe of her

To fome more fitter place; and that with speed.

Re-enter Servant.

SERV. Here is the fifter of the man condemn'd, Defires access to you.

ANG.

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Hath he a fifter?

PROV. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid, And to be flortly of a fiflerhood,

If not already.

ANG.

Well, let her be admitted.

[Exit Servant.

See you, the fornicatrefs be remov'd;
Let her have needful, but not lavifh, means;
There fhall be order for it.

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